The Lost Generation
by quill2parchment
Summary: This FanFic will be composed in three "books": Book I: Saint Amelia, Book II: The Fallen, and Book III: The Boy-Who-Lived. It follows Amelia Bones and other Marauder Era characters from 1977-81. A war story first and foremost, it is my hope that it will pay tribute to the those brave young wizards and witches who fought the First Wizarding War as a toast to their bravery.
1. Prologue: Helga's Secret

**Book I. Saint Amelia**

 _Prologue. Hufflepuff's Secret_

Albus Dumbledore took the liberty of studying the family portraits at Fleamont Potter's home office. Every single one of them had a picture of a young boy with unkempt jet-black hair and thick rectangle glasses. The boy, who was the spitting image of his father, waved energetically while on top of an expensive looking broom in one picture. In another, he hung an arm around his mother… It was easy to see that this boy had had a very pleasant life. The most current picture was of the boy with his three best friends. He was in the middle. On his right side, a blond pudgy boy smiled proudly. On his left, a brooding, handsome man snarled suspiciously at the camera. To that young man's left was the final boy, a brunette with kind eyes.

"Professor," said James Potter coming in behind his father, Fleamont Potter. His friend, Remus Lupin, was at his side just as Albus had requested. "You asked for us?"

Dumbledore smiled kindly. Mr. Potter motioned towards the seat behind the desk. "Albus, please. Take a seat. I will leave you three to be."

"I appreciate it, Fleamont," said Dumbledore earnestly as he took a seat. Fleamont gave him a courteous smile. Dumbledore had refused to reveal the sensitive matter he was bringing to his son and his friend. Still, there was no one in the world Fleamont trusted more than he did Albus Dumbledore. With this in mind, Fleamont slid out the room. "I trust I find you boys well."

"We are doing very well, Professor," replied Remus. Both boys had remained standing. "Thank you."

James, obviously feeling that enough small talk had been allowed, quickly cut to the chase. "Are we in trouble? Because if we are, I feel the need to be straightforward. It was me that hexed Severus Snape on the train ride home… Moony had nothing to do with it."

Remus eyes scolded him for being so impertinent with an adult. "Prongs, hush."

"A seat please," said Dumbledore.

Headmasters did not have favorites. Still, he had always admired James' bravery, his quickness to own up to his own faults and his eagerness to help his friends. No, headmasters did not have favorite students but Albus would always have enough Gryffindor in him to favorite those traits.

"I did not pay you a home visit to talk about wrong doings, Mr. Potter. I trust that by now you have received your Head Boy letter?" James nodded tentatively. "I do have faith that you will live up to those responsibilities. And you, Mr. Lupin, will continue to serve as Gryffindor Prefect?" Remus nodded reassuringly. "Excellent. Then I come not with Headmaster grudges but with a favor to ask."

James slumped into his chair obviously more relaxed. "Anything, Professor."

"Many years ago, around the tenth century, two brilliant wizards and two, perhaps even more brilliant, witches met with the idea of building an institution that would mold and train other young boys and girls into brilliant witches and wizards. Together they built the foundation for, pardon my bias, the most prestigious Wizarding School.

"Hogwarts," interrupted James energetically. "You are talking about the Hogwarts founders!"

Albus nodded. If he was bothered by the interruption, he did not let on. "They each founded a house based on the virtue they thought to be most important. Salazar Slytherin wanted students to reach their full potential, to leave no dream unacted upon."

"Ambition!"

"Rowena Ravenclaw didn't believe dreams were anything without cleverness. She wanted our students to be resourceful and with quick minds."

"Intelligen-"

"Let _him_ finish," said Remus underneath his breath as he kicked James' shin.

James mumbled an apology, and Dumbledore continued, "Godric Gryffindor thought ambition and intelligence would both go wasted if a student did not have the courage to follow through. He wanted students to be loyal to their cause and to have the bravery to face any obstacles. I am pleased to see there's much of him in you boys." It wasn't often that one received a compliment from Albus Dumbledore himself and both boys turned light pink with delight. "Helga Hufflepuff looked at all these virtues and thought them wonderful. However, few people know that Helga had been born with the ability to read emotions."

The boys sat up suddenly interested by this new twist in the story. "You mean Hufflepuff could read minds?" asked James curiously.

"No, not minds," clarified Albus. "Solely emotions. An overly sensitive soul if you must. The only person to know of this gift was Rowena. Rowena was often traveling with Godric throughout Europe trying to find pupils worthy of their school. During this time, the two friends exchanged letters in which they spoke of Helga's gift. Those letters have recently been given to me, and I trust that their secrecy will be kept among us three."

Remus and James exchanged looks. They suddenly understood that Albus coming to the Potter's house was no small event, and the favor he was about to ask them was not to be taken lightly.

"Rowena worried about Helga. She was constantly caught in the middle of the arguments between the other founders. Helga felt their struggles too close to heart which all but shattered her nerves. When Rowena was excited, she felt excited. When Salazar was disappointed, she felt disappointed. It is easy to see why Helga decided that in order for there to peace in Hogwarts, and in the Wizarding World, pupils needed to be kind to one another."

"That's fascinating," said James eagerly. "Why isn't that in _History of Hogwarts_?"

"Helga felt very self-conscious about her gift. Rowena convinced her that the others would use this power to their advantage. She wrote to her warning her that knowledge of her gift would instantly convert her into a weapon. After all, it would be beneficial to Salazar to know how the others were feeling. He would then be able to use those emotions against them. Years after the rift, Helga wrote to her friend and told her gift had left her and had been transferred to her daughter at the moment of birth... And so the gift has been passed on for generation after generation, daughter to daughter…

"That means there might be a descendant of Hufflepuff today who has Helga's ability?" asked Remus.

"There is, and she's at Hogwarts," said Dumbledore. "Now, I am sure that you are aware that Death Eaters have started to recruit Hogwarts students. It is a reality which I did not want to face but which I can no longer ignore."

"Well we knew that," grunted James.

"I know you have had your suspicions, Mr. Potter. I find it troubling to have to admit those suspicions were right all along. Severus Snape has been marked." Had Albus not looked so sad, James would have probably blurted out a _"Ha!"_ The Headmaster looked so solemn, however, that James almost felt sorry for him. "He has been practicing Legilimency as well. I am certain he has no idea the girl or her gift exists, but the danger is still there."

"We can take care of him," James assured him.

"Mr. Potter, I trust that you will. I would like for you to keep in mind that I chose the both of you for a reason. I know you will fearlessly protect her when the time comes regardless of the dangers that must entail. While, Mr. Lupin, will help do so in a manner that will attract the least amount of attention. I do not want Mr. Snape to know he has been found out. He is not skilled enough yet, but I hope that you will help me keep her away from him. I would like for you to keep this information from both Mr. Black and Mr. Pettigrew. I am aware of the immense trust you have for one another, but I have reasons to believe that the least amount of people involved, the better it will be."

He gave the boys a few seconds to think. Once they both agreed to that last term, he continued. "The Minister of Magic has also proposed that we start recruiting Aurors as soon as they turn seventeen, even if they haven't graduated. He wants these individuals to start training so they are ready to go into the war as soon as they graduate."

"That's brilliant!" said James.

"No, it's not," said Remus looking at Dumbledore's blue eyes. "That would further help the Death Eaters spot her."

"I do not know how much longer I can keep the Minister from acting on the notion… maybe a few months… maybe a year… I can hopefully stall him until the war ends. Yes, boys, the war will end one day, and I hope that we can avoid as many casualties as we possibly can until then. However, if the Minister is granted permission, I am sure that you will be chosen, Mr. Potter. You have the bravery, the scores, and the family name to make you the perfect candidate. I hope I have an alliance in you."

"Always."

"Mr. Lupin, there is no use sugar coating. They will not admit werewolves into the program. I, however, still wish to count with your alliance."

"If Moony's not allowed in then I don't want to either," pouted James.

"Ah that I had assumed,' said Dumbledore not unkindly. "It is indispensable that you do accept if an offered is made."

"Of course," said Remus. "He will, and you will always have my support, Dumbledore."

James wasn't sure what gave Remus the right to speak for him, but he figured this was something they could later discuss in private. Instead, he asked, "Who's the girl? The one we are supposed to look after?"

"I am sure that you read about the couple that was killed two weeks ago."

James nodded. The Bones had been brutally tortured and killed by Death Eaters. The whole ministry had gone into high alert. His own family had been forced hide out of Europe until things had settled a little more. "I was friends with George Bones."

"Then you know that both of the Bones brothers have graduated. They only have one younger sister that is still in Hogwarts. George is in training to become an Auror, and there are rumors that Edgar will be given Head of Auror Office. In that case, all family members will be need to be protected. This why their mother gave me Helga's letters earlier this summer. She knew that her daughter would suddenly be of interest to Death Eaters if her brothers were promoted. That risked her gift being exposed. Now that both of her parents are gone, I feel an even greater responsibility to assure her safety."

"Do you think she is at risk now?" asked Remus.

"Like I said, I am certain that Severus has no idea. However, the day he finds out... It is almost certain that he will going try taking her to his master. I am so sorry to have brought the war to you so soon. You are so young, and I wish I could allow the last year of Hogwarts to be carefree. But these are desperate times, and I am afraid that I have no one else I could trust with this task. Having an Auror following her around would be too obvious, and Snape is focusing all his efforts on reading Professors' minds… It has to be a student."

James tried remembering George's younger sister but could not conjure either an image or a name.

Remus, who was the more observant of the two, faintly remembered a shy little girl with her head stuck in a book. "Amelia Bones."


	2. BI Chapter I September 1977

**Book 1. Saint Amelia**

 _Chapter I. September 1977_

* * *

It was an exceptionally chilly first of September in which Amelia Bones boarded the Hogwarts Express for the fifth time in her life. The young girl buried her chin as close to her chest as possible and allowed her dark raven curls to cover the sides of her face, her arms crossed at her chest as if hoping to envelope herself in her own body.

"That's the Bones girls," said the murmurs behind her as she hurried through the corridors, clumsily bumping into bodies whose eyes she did not meet. "What's her name again? Amanda?" Their voices fell thickly all around her like the heavy drops of a rainstorm, and she tried to her best to walk fast enough to avoid getting splashed by their coolness. "… such an odd one… Still, poor thing."

If she was to have looked out the window, she would have seen the tall, stocky figure of her brother. He would wait there until the train was out of sight before leaving just like their parents had done year after year.

"This won't be an easy year," he had warned her. Amelia had begged to stay home this year. With both of her brothers graduated, she would be even lonelier that usual. Even as the train gave its last whistle of warning, her eyes pleaded for him to change his mind. "Heavens knows these aren't easy times for any wizarding child…"

"I am not a child, Edgar." He put a hand on her shoulder, and she instantly regretted her words. The sadness in her tone had broken his heart.

His dark navy eyes, so like her own, looked at her with both kindness and respect. "No, Amelia, you are not. I trust your dedication to your studies will not waver. I know you will come out of this stronger. We will see you this Christmas. All of us."

Their brother George had graduated from Hogwarts only a little over a year ago and had been accepted into the Auror training program in May. Usually, wizards and witches were expected to serve the community for at least two years before applications could even begin to be considered. These were war times, however, and they were taking any promising aspects now. Amelia hadn't spoken to him since had left. He had even been denied permission to attend the funeral in August.

Following her train of thought, Edgar reassured her. "They allow trainees to take the Holidays off. He'll be home, Amelia."

Edgar's wife, Mary, had been keeping a respectful distance but emotion overcame came her as she gave Amelia a tight hug. "Please write, Melly."

Amelia smiled and touched the fullness of her belly. "I will. Take care of my nephew please."

Hogwarts had always been a place of refuge. In the coldness of its stones, Amelia had found the perfect reading nooks, holes that could be crawl into, and escape for a long periods of time. But this year, the year she needed it most, Hogwarts had failed her. Just a week after the funeral, an owl had arrived with the news that she had been named Prefect. This meant that once a week, for the rest of year, she would be forced to attend meetings with the very people who had effectively ignored her for the past four years.

After what felt like ages, she finally reached her destination: the train compartment that had been set aside for the first prefect meeting. It had been enhanced by magic to be able to accommodate a large, wooden table. Every seat had an ivory cardstock paper with a name, house, title and grade level inscribed. Lily Evans was the only person to have arrived. She was busy scribbling in a notebook at a pace that almost seemed inhuman.

Amelia skimmed through the names on the table. There were two prefects for every house at every grade level. In addition, there was one Head Boy and one Head Girl from the seventh year class. The inscribed names sounded familiar; they were the names of students who were exceptionally motivated, ambitious and well-known by almost everyone. For a second, Amelia wondered how her name could ever be included in that list. She had respectable grades, but she was hardly top of her class. Yet, there it was:

 _Amelia Bones_

 _Hufflepuff_

 _Prefect_

 _5th Year_

"Good morning, Amelia." Lily smiled brightly finally closing her notebook. "I am really glad you decided to arrive early. I wish everyone had shown the same punctuality. Of course, we still have twenty minutes until the agreed time… Still there are tons to go over. Did you get a chance to go over the proposals I sent over the summer? What did you think of extending library hours? You didn't think it was too forward, did you?" Of all things Amelia had expected, Lily Evans knowing her name was not one of them. She wanted to say something, anything, but no words came out. "I am so sorry for rattling like that." Lily quickly apologized. "I had a little too much coffee this morning, I am afraid. I am Lily Evans, by the way." She blushed modestly. "Head Girl. Nice to officially meet you."

Amelia tried to reply with a "nice to meet you too" but instead mumbled something that sounded awfully like "okay."

Before she could further embarrass herself, Remus Lupin walked in with two other sixth year students, all of who exchanged pleasantries with Lily. Remus had been Prefect last year, and one of the brightest students in his class, so Amelia was surprised to see him with a golden "P" on his badge instead of "HB."

"You are not Head Boy?" asked Marion Sasin, a blonde seventh year in Ravenclaw as she took a seat next to him.

"I am not." Remus voice was oddly comforting. It was tired and warm like a flickering candle seconds before it went out, the kind of voice that could calm a storm.

"It should have been you, Remus," offered Lily kindly. She turned to Amelia and explained, as if they were just old friends catching up. "Remus was the Gryffindor Prefect last year, a fabulous one too. Remus, you know Amelia, don't you? She's our fifth year Hufflepuff Prefect this year."

It was easy to see why Lily was so beloved by everyone in school. Even if she wasn't as beautiful as she was, she would have still possessed that ability, that charm, to make everyone feel included. _Of course_ , Amelia knew who Remus Lupin was. Every girl at Hogwarts did. Yet, Lily was able to place them as equals, two people who might or might not know each other.

Remus smiled. "Nice to meet you. Congratulations on being chosen Prefect. Was it a surprise?"

"Quite," she admitted nervously. "I am not sure I am prepared."

"I completely understand how you feel," said Lily. "I have been a bundle of nerves since I found out I was assigned Head Girl-"

"Because _that_ was totally unexpected," teased Remus.

"I have spent all summer trying to find out more about what exactly a Head Girl's duties entail, what kind of changes we bring to Hogwarts this year, and who exactly my Prefects are. Not that I was being nosy," she hastily added. "I mean, I did investigate a little... But not with the intention of being invasive. I only wanted to learn more about our Prefects this year. I find extraordinary, for example, that all the men in your family have been sorted in Gryffindor while all the women have been sorted into Hufflepuff."

Amelia's eyes widen in surprise and Remus chuckled. "Lily will make an excellent journalist one day."

She knew Lily was a muggle-born but anyone that had done any amount research on Amelia Bones must have run into the _"The Horrible Bone Family Tragedy"_ that was headlining international newspapers. If she had read or heard anything about it, she gave no indication. In fact, as more people began to walk in and spot Amelia, she became increasingly quick to redirect their attention away from her and on to their assigned seat, their summer stories, and the courses they'd be taking this year. There was not even one "that's Amelia Bones" muttered. Amelia couldn't be too sure but she had a strange feeling that her feelings were being protected by Lily's quick talk.

Finally, one by one, the seats began to fill until only one seat, the one directly in front of Lily, remained unoccupied.

"He's late," Lily muttered hotly under her breath.

"He technically still has a minute and a half…" Remus pointed out taking a look at his watch

As if summoned, James Potter walked into the compartment right as Remus trailed off his last word.

James Potter and Hogwarts were invariably linked in Amelia's mind as one. He had only been a third year Gryffindor when she had first been sorted into Hufflepuff, but he was already as much a part of the castle as its gleaming towers. James Potter was not just another student; he embodied the Hogwarts' experience. Students did not only look forward to Quidditch matches, they looked forward to James outwitting older and more experienced players. Even the older students would go out of their way to run into James and his friends in the corridors so they had some entertaining story to report back to their friends: "I just ran into Potter in the hall… You'll never guess what he told Peeves…"

He was not extraordinarily handsome. While he had the built of an athlete, his jet black hair that stuck out in the improbable of directions and a pair of thick, black framed glasses sat on the bridge of his pale nose. However he had a smile that could charm a monkey into spelling the alphabet. It was a cocky smile, true, but it always made you feel like you were on the inside of some wonderful joke.

"Morning, Moony!" He said cheerfully as he spotted Remus. James and Remus were two out of four best friends. They all had pet names for each other that made little sense to anyone else but that they all somehow accepted.

"Morning, mate," replied Remus brightly.

James scanned the room and realized that the only empty chair was on the opposite side of Lily, far away from her and far away from Remus. "Marion, would you mind switching seats with me-"

"Of course she minds," snapped Lily coolly. "Your seat doesn't have her name on it, does it?"

James eyes rested on Lily, and the entire compartment felt silent. Their arguments were legendary. Lily would furiously attack James who would flirt with her back which only infuriated her more. Whether he did so because he was legitimately in love with her (as he claimed) or because he wanted to prove something (as she claimed), nobody knew. They only knew that that crossing their path when their words battled in the air like two dangerous swords was not a good idea.

"That's an interesting thing to point out," said James calmly. "We are hardly first years needing to be told where to take a seat. Last year, there was no assigned seating."

"Last year, you weren't here so you wouldn't know."

James raised his eyebrows. "So there was assigned seating? That's what you are saying? If that is so, I will respect that pre-established norms and take a seat right over here where it reads James Potter, Gryffindor, Head Boy, Seventh Year…"

By the looks of the sixth and seventh years, there had _not_ be an assigned seating the prior year. Lily folded her arms and stared James down. Amelia could safely guess where her distress lay: she either had to admit that this was not an official rule or risk sounding like a liar.

"This will help create a sense of community amongst each other. We don't have to sit down only with the people we know. I hope that, as Head Boy, you would not object to interacting with us all."

But James smiled in a way that clearly anticipated Lily's defeat. "What a wonderful idea, Evans." Her last name on his lips sounded oddly cold. He clearly had no intention to flirt this time; he was here to settle territory. "We can definitely discuss it in our next Head meeting. As _Head Boy_ ," again there was a pointedness to his words that could not be ignored, "I look forward to making these kind of decisions _together_. For now, Marion, would you mind-"

Lily turned three shades of red, and it was Remus turn to intervene. "Take a seat, Potter."

"That's exactly what I was attempting to do in case-"

"In your seat."

James face fell. "But I wanted to sit next to you-"

"I'll give you a cookie," interrupted Remus rolling his eyes. "But for now, be a big boy and stop wasting time. I am starving, and we are all hoping this meeting will end promptly."

"It better be a big cookie," said James grumpily as he slumped into his seat. The girls giggled which cheered him up a little.

James was, shamelessly, in love with his friends. There was nothing he wouldn't do for them and that included allowing defeat in front of Lily Evans. Remus voice could, in fact, calm a storm but when it came to James Potter, Amelia had a feeling he was only able to keep that storm at bay.

The meeting continued without incident. Lily did most of the talking, and James remained relatively supportive. His only objection came when she set meetings for Thursdays at seven in the afternoon.

"Nine," he objected. "Quidditch practice lasts until eight thirty."

"I am sure you can prioritize," she responded.

"We have eight Quidditch players present. I say respecting their prior engagements is a priority."

"That would mean the meeting wouldn't end until ten. We cannot be out of bed that late."

"I'll worry about getting us permission for that."

Lily looked ready to argue but Remus gave her a slight shake of his head. She bit her lip and consented. "Fine."

Amelia finally understood why Remus looked so tired all the time; standing as meditator between those two had to be exhausting.

Finally, Lily concluded the meeting and the Prefects early ran out the compartments, ready to meet up with their friends for what remained of the train ride. Thinking there was nothing more she wanted to avoid more than going down the corridor to a dozen more "that's the Bones girl" whispers, Amelia decided to stay put. Surely, the compartment would empty on you in a few minutes, and she could enjoy some solitude. Taking out a book, she began reading.

"Evans, put that notebook away. We need to talk." She had been so lost in her reading that she had not realized that James, Lily, and Remus had stayed behind. Lily had begun to scribble in her notebook once again, but James stern voice cut paused her efforts.

"Don't you dare leave me with him," snapped Lily as Remus tried to sneak out of the compartment.

"Oh please stay, Moony," said James but his eyes remained on Lily. "Evans clearly needs someone to hold her hand. God forbid she has an adult conversation without someone defending her."

The words sounded especially harsh coming from James. Lily's green eyes flickered in confusion. Remus slumped into the seat next to Amelia's. He took out a chocolate frog, split it, and offered her the other half. "This is about to get bitter. Trust me, you're going to need this."

James and Lily quickly forgot they were even present. They were staring each other down with so much contempt that it was hard to remember a time when their faces were not contorted by fury.

"I don't know who the hell thought it was a good idea for you to be named Head Boy, Potter," Lily was saying, "but I am not about to allow you to ruin this for me-"

"Oh well, we all know who proposed your nomination," James spat back.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You are clearly Slughorn's top pick. That idiot probably chose you over somebody from his own house. I guess being a part of his club has its perks, huh?"

"What is it to you, anyways? You were invited. If you didn't join, it's because you were too busy creating havoc with your stupid pranks…"

"No. I didn't join because he was accepting Death Eaters into his club. I am not about to drink tea with criminals."

"There are no Death Eaters at Hogwarts, Potter. We are not of age to join any-"

"Oh you can't be thick enough to really believe that you have to be of age to join the Dark Lord, do you? What? That the darkest wizards of our times who have created the most criminals of acts are really going to stop and consider someone's age? They don't have any scruples. But, of course, they have power, and that's good enough for Slughorn, huh? That's the only reason that slimy ball of grease got in, you know?"

Lily's faced turned red again. She trembled in fury. Amelia considered exiting the compartment quietly. Remus must have sensed this because he quietly advised against it. "Don't move. Act invisible." Luckily, this she was good at.

"Severus is a brilliant wizard," Lily snapped. "You know he's terrific in Potions. In fact, of all the boys, he probably has the highest scores of our year. _That_ is the reason he was invited."

"Snape was just as 'terrific' in Potions two years ago. Why didn't he get an invitation then?"

Apparently Lily hadn't really thought this through because she looked as if she had been hit with a ton of bricks. "You're just being hateful."

"Shows how much you know. And he doesn't have the highest score in our year either."

Lily looked quizzically towards Remus. When she had seen her number drop to second place, she had assumed it was Severus who had taken her place. "Remus, are you-"

"James does," Remus replied quietly.

James took a seat, his shoulder muscles were still tensed but the ones in his face had started to relax. "Believe it or not, I do care about being Head Boy. We'll meet on Monday nights at nine to discuss Thursday's agenda. I know you have plans for how this year is supposed to go," he added before Lily could cut him off. "Any moron knows you're brilliant, okay? I am not going to ruin this for you. But you cannot leave me out like you did today. You want to hate me? Fine. I am tired of trying to convince you otherwise. But you're not going to ignore the fact that I got picked to be Head Boy for a reason, and that I have just as much rights as you to be involved."

She seemed to have a thing or two in mind that she wanted him to know but finally settled for, "Fine. Can I finish writing notes down from the meeting today? I have to meet up with Slughorn in ten minutes. Don't-," she raised her hand to silence him, "-if we are going to do this, I don't want to argue about him. Or Severus."

James rolled his eyes. "Write your notes down. Make sure you schedule in Monday nights at nine." He leaned back and stole the remaining piece of chocolate from Remus' hand and stuffed in his mouth before muttering, "Moony, you still owe me that cookie."

* * *

 _Author's Note: I realize that many people look at James as somehow being the love-struck, less intelligent Marauder boy but I simply have never been able to view him as an all brawns and no brains kind of guy. When I wrote this fanfic, I wrote James Potter the way I had always envisioned him: stubborn, argumentative, insensitive and immature but extremely charming and bright. I hope this shows through even more so in the coming chapters._


	3. ChapterII Friendship in Unlikely Places

**Book 1. Saint Amelia**

 _Chapter 2. Friendships in Unlikely Places_

James had been right: any moron _would_ have been able to tell that Lily Evans was brilliant. It was the type of brilliance that was intimidating and almost a bit frantic. By their first meeting, she not only knew all of the Prefect's names, she had also investigated their schedule, their preference in snacks, and, somehow, how they had done in their classes the year before and how they were doing now.

"We need to be models of excellent behavior," she pointed out during their second meeting. She had requested one of the empty classrooms in the third floor as a designated meeting spot. It was a large room whose desks had been removed and replaced with about a dozen dinner tables for two. "How can we cannot demand respect from our fellow students; we need to earn it. It's important that our scores reflect our dedication to the academics. It's equally as important that our conduct shows a respect for regulations. We cannot abuse the right to take away points or to give detention. It might have been so in the past, but it is time to start a new way of thinking for Prefects to come…"

"Mhm," agreed James unconvincingly. He was either looking at her as if she was a three headed dragon or as if she was the beautiful girl on the planet – there was really no in-between. Right now she was a three headed dragon. "We have noticed that not all of us know each other. Developing a sense of friendship amongst us is important, so we want to make sure we all feel comfortable and stand as a united front. We have organized a little activity with that in mind. We will have ten minutes to talk to one other person before the alarm goes off. Then we will switch places and sit with someone we haven't met."

"How will we know who to sit with next?" asked Marion, the seventh year Ravenclaw

"Don't worry about it," smiled James mischievously. "Once the bell rings, it'll take care of itself."

They looked at Lily for further clarification, but she shrugged. "I have no idea. Okay, everyone take any empty seat and the time starts – NOW."

Amelia was first paired with Marion. She was a busty blonde with transparent eyebrows and dark stained lips. In the tables, cookie platters and tea had appeared.

"I am Amelia," Amelia began.

Marion shrugged uninterested. "Mhm." She kept looking over at James who had been paired with Remus. Last year, Marion and James had dated but, by the looks of things, that was over. "Marion."

"So…" Amelia tried again. She looked for the right words to say but was too distracted by how intensely Marion was looking at James. Every now and then she glanced over at Lily with a jealousy that gave Amelia a headache. She didn't understand how a girl that pretty could harbor a feeling so ugly. She waited a few more minutes before trying again. "How are your classes so far?"

"Fine." Realizing Marion was far from interested in a conversation, Amelia pick up a cookie and took a bite. "Those are loaded with fat, you know?" said Marion looking disgusted.

Before Amelia could answer, a loud church bell rang from an unidentifiable place in the room and the chairs darted from their original place unto a new spot.

"The chairs are enchanted?" asked Amelia trying to recover from the shock of being swooshed across the room in a dining chair.

"James doing, I am sure," said Remus, her new partner. "He's incredibly good at charms, you know?"

"This is really advanced though," insisted Amelia impressed.

"Well he can be quite clever when he's not too busy being an idiot." Remus beamed proudly. "It is good to see you again, Amelia." Remus was exceptionally tall, but his shoulders hunched as if he was terribly tired of carrying his own weight. His generous green eyes had dark shadows beneath them. Are your classes going well? OWLS are this year. You cannot imagine how stressed and panicked I was."

"I cannot imagine you being stressed or panicked over anything," said Amelia having a difficult time imagining Remus, with his calm and collected voice, being flustered over anything. "You always look so sure of yourself."

She had not meant to embarrass him, but he blushed and she felt guilty over his discomfort. It seemed as if every time she spoke, it was a little too frank. For this reason, Amelia usually preferred not to speak at all.

"I have less than enviable skills in Potions," said Remus. "I hope I do better with my NEWTS scores."

"Have you thought of what you wanted to do once you graduate?"

He gave her a smile that was oddly sad. "I have given it some thought, yes. But I am not sure who would take me. I am not sure I'll be easily hired."

Almost too soon, the bell rang again and the chairs quickly shuffled into a different place. Amelia felt like she hadn't spoken to so many people in her entire life. Even though they had gone to school together for the past few years, not many of them knew her name and instantly became uncomfortable when they heard her last name. It was an awkward situation every single time, and she found herself looking forward to the end of the night.

Eventually she had a chance to talk to Lily again who had prepared a list of questions so that their ten minutes ran more like a quick interview than a conversation.

"What would you say is the most important school subject?" asked Lily. It was maybe the twentieth question on her list, and Amelia was trying to keep up with the speed they were being thrown at her.

"Charms."

Lily quickly wrote down her answer and continued on with the next. It seemed as if she was trying to gather as much information and as quickly as possible. "Favorite season?"

"Winter."

"Most important virtue?"

"Compassion," Amelia offered.

The bell rang once again, and Amelia found herself face-to-face with her last partner, James Potter. She couldn't think of a single thing to say to the boy. Their families had been friends, as most wealthy pureblood families were, but the lives of James Potter and Amelia Bones could not have bene more different. He was popular and friendly, a golden boy, while she was awkward and introverted. _Ten minutes_ , she told herself. _Ten minutes and then tonight and all of its awkwardness will end._

James smiled brightly. "Amelia, right?" Amelia nodded nervously. She must have looked awfully uncomfortable just sitting there, but he didn't let on. "You know I used to be friends with George before he graduated. Bloody brilliant in Quidditch. Taught me everything I know…Great guy, really. I remember Edgar too. He was Head Boy my first year at Hogwarts. Got married not too long ago, didn't he?"

"A few years ago. His wife is expecting their second baby."

"That's amazing! You must be so excited!" His smiled suddenly became less bright, and she knew what was coming. She swallowed hard preparing herself for it. "I am really sorry about your parents, Amelia. I met them once. Your mother was so kind. We really wanted to make it to funeral, but, you know, the whole ministry was in high alert. We were forced out of Europe for that whole week. My dad was furious. He had so much respect for your father. He really wanted to be there."

A familiar bitterness rose to her throat, but it stung less than she had imagined. His voice was genuine and the sincerity softened the blow of having to remember. "Thank you."

He gave a sympathetic smile. "So how are classes going? I am sure it's hard after everything that happened this summer."

"It's nice having something to focus on," she admitted. "It takes my mind off _that._ "

"OWLS are coming up this year. Nervous?"

"Very."

"Don't worry about it. They really are much less hard than they make them seem."

"I am having trouble with Potions." She had no idea why she was telling him. She was under no illusion than James Potter could bother to care what classes she was having trouble with. Yet there was something in the sunniness of his smile that made her feel like she could tell him anything.

"Let me guess," he ventured. "Slughorn invited you to his club. You said no and now he's taking off points for every "o" that's not curved properly…"

It wasn't like Amelia to deny a Professor anything however she hadn't been able to bear the idea of joining the "S" Club after everything her and her brothers had gone through that summer. In fact, Amelia was pretty sure the only reason Slughorn had invited her was because of her brothers. She had never seemed promising to him before, but having two brothers as Aurors must have peeked Slughorn's interest. That's not why she had denied him though. She couldn't, as James had said, bring herself to have "tea with criminals." Slughorn had not taken her decision lightly however. While she had never excelled at Potions, now he was being stricter than ever with the work she turned in. "If you need extra help," he had said slyly, "I am willing to help all those in "S" Club in the evenings."

Amelia smiled meekly. "Pretty much."

He shook his head. "That guy can be such a git. I am really good at Potions though. I could help tutor you."

"Oh you don't have to do that," she said quickly.

"It's settled, Amelia. Tomorrow afternoon at noon. I'll meet you at the Head's Common Room."

"I am not allowed in there. Regulation states-"

"I am not too good with regulation," James interrupted. "If we are going to be friends, you might as well know that much. Third floor. There's a red mug at the end of the hall. Password's _bravery._ "

Amelia tried keeping up with what he was saying, but his words were not making much sense. "Friends?"

He chuckled amused. "That's right, Bones. Friends."

She wanted to explain that wasn't the way things worked. Boys like James Potter were not friends with girls like her. Boys like him helped out girls like Lily Evans with her beautiful cascading red hair or Marion Sasin and her doll-like blue eyes. They didn't help out girls whose names nobody knew just because her parents had been killed that summer and she was having trouble in class. But before she could say any of that, the bell rang again and the chairs swooshed again.

center-/center

Even as she climbed up to the third floor, Amelia couldn't shake the feeling that it was a huge joke being played on her. Nothing about James had suggested he was being malicious but now that she thought of it, she had never heard of a red rug being a door to any commons. Of course, she knew the Head Boy and Girl shared a common room that was secret to anyone else, but James was surely playing a prank on her. Her face burned with humiliation as she imagined him and his friends laughing as they pictured her trying to get the rug to reveal a secret doorway.

Which is why she was so shocked to find the rug removing itself from the floor and revealing a hidden staircase. She climbed down and was greeted by a small, dark room dimmed lit only by the window on the north wall and candles on the dining table. Next to the dining table, there were two pairs of loveseats near the extinguished fireplace. The couches were facing away from the door but Amelia could make the outline of Remus Lupin as he hunched over a book.

"Hey there," he said as he finally spotted her. "How are you doing?" Amelia blushed. She could imagine trying to explain what she was doing there. Remus would probably smile kindly and explain that James had probably forgotten and to please excuse him. His eyes would pity her as he wondered what had made her think that James Potter could have possibly remembered her. He must have seen her trouble expression because he quickly added, "James is on his way. Practice ran late but he'll be here soon. Please take a seat. You know Sirius? Sirius…Amelia Bones."

It was only then that Amelia noticed the tall figure leaning by the window. He was a seventeen year old boy with dark brown hair that gently framed a handsome, aristocratic face with a strong jaw which was currently strongly locked. His dark gray eyes seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room; they were a million years old and they looked at her as if she wasn't there at all, as if she could never really matter to anyone in the world, least of all to him. His name was Sirius Black, he was James' best friend, and Amelia felt like her soul was being sucked as he shrugged indifferently.

"She's George's sister," continued Remus. "You remember him?"

"No," he replied dryly.

If James Potter was the sunny golden boy, Sirius Black was the perfect foil. He was moody and seldom smiled except when with his closes friends, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. His face constantly looked unimpressed, and he was much quieter than any of his other three friends. In the rare circumstance that he made a remark, it was often sinister and sarcastic. The Blacks were famous for being supporters of the Dark Lord, and a rumor had started last year that Regulus Black, his younger brother, had joined the Death Eaters. Despite all of this, there was no other boy in school as coveted by girls as him.

"Sirius Black," shrieked Lily as she and James entered the common room. They both had the flush look on their faces that indicated a recent argument. "Put that cigarette away." Sirius lifted the cigarette that had been laying in his fingers and promptly squashed in the ashtray. "You are not supposed to be smoking in here. You're not supposed to be in here at all."

"Aw give it up, Lilyflower," said Sirius nonchalantly. "It's embarrassing enough to have your two best friends be Prefect and Head Boy. Can't you just let me have the perks of hanging in here for a while? Violet's been chasing me all day. I just need a few minutes of peace."

"No smoking. I mean it."

"Yes, ma'am."

James spotted Amelia and smiled. "You brought your books?"

Sirius looked at him disgusted. "Since when do you tutor?"

"Come on, Padfoot. You remember how hard of a time I had with Slughorn. He can be a real jerk when you don't join his stupid club. We all know that." He looked at Lily significantly, "Well, almost all of us."

"Ugh." Lily rolled her eyes before giving Amelia a concerned glance. "Is he really being difficult with you, Amelia? I could talk to him if you want…"

"She could," agreed James trying to bite down the bitterness in his words. "Lily's his favorite. He'll do everything she says."

Amelia shook my head. "Thank you but I really don't want him to think he's doing me any favors…"

Remus and Lily smiled proudly but Sirius just rolled his eyes. Amelia was sure he was annoyed by her presence. James nudged his head and led her to the dining table where he had already pulled out his notes from his fifth year. She couldn't help but be impressed by how organized his school work really was. He flipped through his notes and finally remarked, "October… We covered love potions… Is that were you are at?"

"Chess, Moony?" asked Sirius behind them.

"I can't. I have to run a really quick errand."

Lily narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Peter's detention, would it? He shouldn't be given any special considerations…" She looked at James as if daring to object but James was obviously too upset about whatever they had argued about earlier to even look at her.

"Don't be upset, Lily," said Remus with a sigh. "I'll leave him for another fifteen minutes but let me stay with him. He gets nervous when he's with McKinley by himself."

Professor McKinley taught charms and was also the Head of Ravenclaw. He was a tall, dark man with a deep husky voice that could intimidate anyone.

Lily sighed, too tired to continue arguing. "Fine."

Sirius shook his head. "Moony could probably strike a deal with the devil himself," he said in awe as Remus climbed up the stairs. "Chess, Lilyflower?"

"Oh alright…"

"You have to stir three times," James was saying as Amelia wrote down notes as quickly as possible. She was trying really hard to pay attention but was having difficulty keeping herself from eavesdropping on the conversation going on behind them. "You only need two, but he'll take off points for not doing the third one. Make sure you stir slowly too… it's all in the wrist, you see?"

"Checkmate," said Sirius bored. "Lily, you aren't even trying."

"I am," she argued. "I am just not good at this. So why are you hiding from Violet? You seemed pretty cozy last weekend. It's not fair to play with her like that, you know?"

Sirius looked uncomfortable. "You two still friends? Violet used to talk about you all the time."

Lily shrugged. "It's not the same. We have different… priorities, I guess."

"Yeah, books and school are not even on Violet's radar..."

"It got worse when she became friends with Marion. I don't think Marion is too fond of me."

"Well I wouldn't like you if my ex-boyfriend was obsessed with you either."

James rolled his eyes annoyed. "Could you two please quiet down? We are trying to study in here. Look here," James said pointing at the end of Amelia's notes. "You wrote down red onion. It's not technically wrong, but it's another easy way for Slughorn to take off points. It's not on the official ingredient list."

"Anyways," Lily was saying, in a quieter voice. "I didn't really hang out with Violet much anyways. I was always with Alice and Frank last year even though they were a year older."

"You must miss them."

She nodded. "I haven't heard from them since they got accepted into the training program. They got engaged right before, you know? They'll have the wedding as soon as they complete the Auror certification... iCheckmate/i."

Sirius groaned. "That's not fair. You distracted me with the engagement news first and then you made your move."

"Here and make sure you stir three times again," James was saying but he was smilingly proudly, the angry washing away, and it was evident that his mind was on Lily.

center-/center

Amelia was not only improving her scores in Potions, James and Remus were helping her improve her scores in all her classes. Whenever James was in Quidditch practice, Remus would help her with Transfiguration homework. She had no idea why they were being so kind to her, she only knew that she was very appreciative. She was even more appreciative that Lily and James had paired her and Remus together for corridor patrol. Not only would this allow for extra time in her studies, there was no other person in school she felt as comfortable with as she did with Remus.

"What was Emeric the Evil's wand made out of?" quizzed Remus as they finished the last round of the night.

"Thestral tail," replied Amelia.

"Size?"

"Fifteen inches," she concluded proudly.

He shut the book he had been reading from and smiled. "And that concludes' tonight review session. I will walk you to your dormitory."

"You don't have to walk me," said Amelia earnestly. "You walk me there every night, and every night I tell you there is no reason to go out of your way."

"It's not every night," objected Remus, "we only have patrol twice a week. And even if it was, I would still tell you that it's not like a gentleman to allow a lady to walk alone at night."

Amelia had never really had any friends. When George was still in school, he had been kind and protective but he had been too busy with his studies and Quidditch to really spend too much time with her. She had never been able to relate to other girls her age, and she was absolutely intimidated by most boys. Which is why she found it so surprising that she now considered Remus Lupin one of her closest friends. Even more surprisingly, Remus seemed to really enjoy her company.

Amelia smiled at him. "Remus, I am surprised you aren't in Hufflepuff."

He laughed. "Because there's so little bravery in me?"

She pushed him teasingly. "No… Because you are so kind."

Remus blushed modestly. "I think the Sorting Hat knew me a little better than that, I am afraid."

"Well," said Amelia, "I would have put you in Hufflepuff."

He raised his eyebrows amused. "You think you are a better judgment of character than the Sorting Hat?"

"I think I would have sorted quite a few people differently," she admitted.

"Like who?"

"Well I think Lily should have been in Ravenclaw. She's easily the most intelligent person I know."

"I agree," said Remus thoughtfully. "However I have seen her stop two teenage boys in the middle of a duel, and I think that in those moments she was braver than she was smart."

"You mean Severus and James?"

"They were the ones to come to mind, yes."

"Why do they hate each other so much, Remus?"

Remus sighed. "I am not sure I could explain…"

Amelia blushed. "I am sorry… It's none of my business."

"It's not that, Melly," Remus said quickly. "I just meant… I really don't know how to put into words. Severus and James as just too different. James is everything Severus could ever wish to be, I think. He's popular and bright and has an amazing family… Severus is everything James was raised to hate. He knew complicated dark magic when we were barely eleven. I think he learned it to defend himself, a way to cope, but James doesn't understand. He wouldn't be able to because has never had that need to survive. They would never have been anything less than enemies but adding Lily to the mix… Well that just made it worse."

"Lily and Severus were once friends." She tried recollecting times she had seen them together but she had been too young to remember correctly. There was once, maybe in her second or third year of school, when Lily had intervened in a fight between Severus and James, and Severus had called her a "mudblood" in front of the whole school…

"I think she desperately wishes they still were."

"Why?" The words escaped her before she could stop them. It was cruel to think that someone didn't deserve friendship, but Severus had so much darkness in his soul. Amelia had a hard time imagining why someone as kind as Lily would care for his friendship.

Remus shrugged. "They were friends once. I can't pretend to understand, but I can sympathize. If James or Sirius or Peter… if our friendship ever faltered, I would like to think that I would try my best to make it right again."

"I don't think you four could ever get in a fight."

"We have been friends since our first year," said Remus, "and we have never lied to one another, never betrayed, and never committed a fault so grave that it couldn't be forgiven."

"You really care for them, don't you?" asked Amelia.

"They're my best friends, Melly. They have been there for me in the most desperate of times. But enough about that… I don't want to bore you."

"Oh you could never bore me," she said sincerely.

He looked touched by her words. They reached the large barrels that hid the Hufflepuff dormitory. He gazed at her thoughtfully as if there was something he wanted to say. She waited patiently even as she felt courage leaving him. "Goodnight, Amelia."

"Goodnight, Remus."


End file.
